The Neverending Labyrinth
by OreozFox
Summary: When the fantasy worlds go dark with no explanation, Sarah, Atreyu, and Bastian must work together to save them.
1. Prologue

**Note: Hey, guys! As some of you may know, I'm super into 80s fantasy movies, so I decided to make a crossover of a few favorites. This will include Labyrinth, The Neverending Story, and The Dark Crystal. BTW, this will be continuing off of the first Neverending Story movie, not the book or sequels. I hope you enjoy!**

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**Summer's End**

**~**

_It has now been four years since the Third Great Conjunction in which Kira and I healed the Crystal. But after four years of peace, change is already beginning to happen._

_ Since my midsummer entry, Kira and I have welcomed our first child, a beautiful baby girl who we named Syni. Syni has my dark hair and Kira's light tan complexion, along with her brown eyes. I do not think I've ever experienced such joy as when Syni came into the world. Kira handled delivery wonderfully, and Ydra was a big help. Our long wait is finally over!_

_ With Syni's birth, I know for sure that a new, more beautiful world is coming to be. In fact, I'd be saying that Thra was growing brighter every day._

_ That was, if the sky hadn't grown dark just before Syni was born._

_ A few weeks ago, the sky became this dark, gloomy color, but no rain fell. Still, the darkness has not been broken since then. That is an unheard of occurrence. What shocked me most was that our plant life has begun to wilt from the lack of sunlight and rain. Even some small animals have begun to perish. Residents of the further corners of Thra have also reported a thick, impenetrable fog closing in on us. It is quite worrying, but I am relieved that Syni was born healthy despite this. Still, I sense that something is very wrong with our world._

_ The Crystal is an unlikely cause for this, however. It still shines brightly and I haven't found a single crack. _

_ I have discussed this matter with a few people. Aughra is just as concerned as I am, it seems, but she doesn't have an explanation. In fact, nobody in Thra seems to know, so I had to look for answers elsewhere._

_ First, I tried confronting Jareth, the Goblin King who lives in the center of a massive, winding maze. He is always causing mischief. However, our meeting gave me no real reason to blame him, but instead a rather inopportune musical number from him and his lackeys. And I had thought the Podling parties were crazy! He said he was simply throwing a party for an old friend when he heard of Kira's pregnancy. Jareth and I are most certainly not friends._

_ Kira suggested enlisting the help of a species known as human. Humans are creatures that are rare in our world's, but important nonetheless!_

_ My first thought undoubtedly would have been my dear friend Jim, but he is a busy man and I have scarcely had contact with him since Kira and I were wed. Oh, how I miss him!_

_ Kira then told me that human children were the real experts when it came to our worlds. Unfortunately, most children who know of a world outside their own (Dorothy and Christopher Robin, to name a few) are no longer children at all. Luckily, I heard of three children whose adventures were fairly recent: Atreyu, Bastian, and Sarah. Sarah was the most new to our world, having only trod here about half a year ago. Apparently, she had the misfortune of dealing with Jareth. Poor girl!_

_ Atreyu was not born on Earth, but rather a beautiful world called Fantasia. I sent for him as soon as I could. I first met him mere days before Syni arrived, when he promptly arrived on a gorgeous white creature he called a horse._

_ Atreyu is a fine boy. He politely answered my flurry of questions, and told me that this darkness reminded him of the Nothing, a terrible calamity that ripped Fantasia apart. It was the loss of childlike imagination embodied. Truly terrifying!_

_ I asked Atreyu if the Nothing had returned. He stated that this was impossible, as he and Bastian had ensured its extermination. Atreyu did, however, believe that this was another consequence of a negative occurrence in the human mind. This was truly something only a child could fix._

_ I have asked Atreyu to contact Bastian while I (unfortunately) must return to the Labyrinth and ask Jareth for a way to contact Sarah. This could take some time, but I know that saving my world and the others will be well worth the wait._

_ I will write again soon._

_Signed,_

_King Jen of Thra_


	2. Chapter One

Sarah had not forgotten her adventures in the Labyrinth, not by a long shot. Even six months later, every bizarre encounter in that place still stuck with her.

For a short while, the friends Sarah had gained in the Labyrinth had come through her mirror to see her often. But for weeks now they hadn't said a word. She had tried not to worry about it too much, but now it was the weekend and she didn't have school to distract her from wondering what had become of them.

It was raining outside. Sarah glanced at her clock. It was late. That surprised her, though, because she swore she could hear talking outside. She listened more closely. It wasn't talking, but bickering. Two voices, one dreadfully familiar and another one not. The latter voice sounded like it came from a normally calm and soft-spoken person, but they were steadily growing more exasperated by the sound of it.

Sarah crept over to the window, but didn't open the curtains just yet. She tried eavesdropping on the conversation.

"I say, what _are _you waiting for, dear Jen? I assure you that this is the house you're looking for. Would you like me to call for her? Oh, Saraaah…"

"Hush! Have you gone mad? That crooning is going to wake all the humans up! We just want Sarah, _without _making a fuss. Besides, I highly doubt she'd come out for you, considering your attitude."

"Oh, you are being rather cruel, don't you think? I believe you're the one with the sour demeanor at the moment."

"Shh. I'm trying to look through the window. I can't see- oof!" Sarah heard the slipping of shoes on the wet roof, followed by a thump. "Jareth, I'm going to fall off the roof! Lend me a hand!"

Sarah's eyes widened slightly. _I knew it. What is Jareth doing here?_ _...Should I go check on Toby?_

"I'd like to, dear Jen, but I've got no hands. See? Only these fragile wings."

"Well, turn back into your true form, then! Hurry, now, I'm slipping!"

"Right here on the roof? Oh, Jen, I thought I heard you say you didn't want to make a fuss."

Jareth sounded like he was giving this poor stranger quite the hard time. _I guess _I'll_ have to help him_, Sarah decided, pulling open the curtains. Her previous suspicions were confirmed as a pale owl took flight and disappeared just as Sarah opened the window. All that remained was a pair of four-fingered hands clinging to the gutters.

"Excuse me. Would you kindly pull me up?" The stranger's voice asked over the pattering rain.

Sarah reached down and grabbed the stranger's arms, pulling him inside. The stranger was a little person, it seemed, just under twice Toby's size. He had tan skin and long, dark hair, with pointy little ears sticking out. He wore a patterned outfit and a long cape. "Oh, how cute." Sarah exclaimed. "Are you some kind of little elf?"

"A Gelfling, to be exact." the newcomer replied, giving a short, respectful bow as he introduced himself. "My name is Jen. I've come to-... ah… ah… Achoo!"

"You're soaked!" Sarah realized. "And it was a cold night anyway. You're shivering. Let's get you dry first." She excused herself to go get a towel before returning to help Jen dry off.

Jen pulled the towel tightly around him. "Thank you. Your name is Sarah, right?"

"Yes. Are you one of Jareth's friends?"

Jen wrinkled his nose. "I'm afraid that 'friend' isn't the correct word. I am glad that he helped me find you, though."

"Find me for what?" Sarah asked, curious.

"There is a darkness that has covered my world, Jareth's, and many others for some time now. It's causing everything to wither. Kira told me that a human child may be able to help, and you had most recently visited our worlds. We were hoping that you could team up with two other children and find the cause of our worlds' ailment." Jen explained.

"You want _my _help?" Sarah couldn't quite believe it. She had just barely managed to retrieve Toby from Jareth's clutches. It wasn't as if she were gifted in this sort of subject.

"Yes. I came here because I trust that you and the others can return our world to normal. Will you come with me?"

Sarah thought for a moment. It could be dangerous, but solving this problem could reunite her with her friends. "Okay. I'll do it."

Jen sighed with relief. "Oh, thank you, Sarah. You're very kind."

Sarah smiled. "You're welcome. Do you live in the Labyrinth?"

Jen grimaced. "No, and I'm glad of it. My world is called Thra. Jareth's spell should still be working, so we can get there right from your window." He put the towel down and led her to the window. He hopped up onto the windowsill and stepped out onto the roof.

As Sarah warily followed, she noticed the owl perched on a tree nearby, staring directly at her...


	3. Chapter Two

As Sarah's feet left the roof, her surroundings were transformed. All the houses and yards disappeared and a wide plain replaced them. A short walk from where she and Jen stood, the ground rose up sharply in the form of a cliff, with a towering castle at the top.

"Wow…" Sarah breathed, amazed at the castle's height. "Do you live here, Jen?"

"Well, yes…" Jen sounded bashful. "I'm… actually a king, as of a few years ago."

"And that girl you mentioned before… Kira, was it? Is she your queen?"

"Yes, she is." Jen said with a fond smile. "We have a daughter as well. The three of us are the only Gelflings in the world."

"Really?" Sarah thought for a moment. "What happened to the others, if you don't mind me asking?"

"That's a long story in itself. I will tell you once we get you settled in." Jen motioned for her to follow as he continued towards the castle.

Once they entered the castle, they found a female Gelfling with light hair (whom Sarah assumed was Kira) sitting beside a tall, purple crystal, basking in its light while cradling a small bundle to her chest. Her ear flicked as she heard their footsteps, and her face lit up when she spotted Jen. "Jen! I'm glad you arrived home safely." she murmured as Jen stepped forward to kiss her.

Once he'd done that, Jen held out his arms. Kira smiled and handed the bundle to him. Jen folded aside the cloth to reveal the sleeping face of what looked like a baby Gelfling. "Hello to you too, Syni." he whispered, planting a kiss on the baby's head. As he turned to hand Syni back to Kira, Jen noticed Kira reaching back to rub a spot below her shoulder, discomfort etched on her face. "Are you alright, darling? It's been a while since you've had to rest by the Crystal." he asked worriedly.

Kira nodded, taking Syni from him. "Just some pain where my scar is. It's nothing." she looked up at Sarah curiously. "Is this Sarah?"

"Yes. Jareth took me right to her." Jen replied, smiling at Sarah. "She's agreed to help us."

"Nice to meet you. My name is Kira." Kira adjusted her hold on the infant to hold out her hand for Sarah to shake.

Sarah grinned as she shook Kira's hand. "Nice to meet you, too, Your Majesty."

Kira gave a short laugh as she waved her hand dismissively. "Oh please, none of that. Just Kira is fine."

Sarah nodded. She was about to speak again when she heard a voice behind her.

"I know you!"

Sarah turned around to see a boy that she, too, recognized. With short brown hair and a shy expression, there was no doubt about it. "Hey, aren't you that boy in the middle school theater class at my school? Bastian, was it?"

Bastian nodded. "And you're in the high school theater class! Sarah, right? What are you doing here?"

"I was asked to help save these worlds from some kind of darkness. What about you?"

"Me, too! I didn't know you knew about this place!" Bastian said in surprise. "Did you read _The Neverending Story_, too?"

Sarah shook her head. _"Labyrinth_."

Jen smiled. "I see you two are already familiar with one another, then. That makes things a bit easier." He looked at Kira. "Have you heard from Atreyu, dear?"

Kira shook her head. "Not a word."

Jen's brow furrowed. "That's strange. Atreyu's never late, and I expected him here tonight!"

As Jen spoke, a boy suddenly crept out from behind the Crystal while grinning mischievously, unbeknownst to Jen. Kira glanced at him for a split second before turning her attention back to Jen, looking as if she were holding back laughter.

Sarah was confused, but she saw a delighted smile spread across Bastian's face, as if he recognized the boy. _It must be Atreyu, _Sarah realized.

Atreyu glanced at Bastian and Sarah and put a finger to his lips while wearing the same grin. He continued to sneak up behind Jen, who was still fretting.

"He could be lost." Jen was saying. "No, that's unlikely. Maybe he was attacked! Oh, no…"

All of a sudden, Atreyu's hands came down on Jen's shoulders as he shouted, "Boo!"

Jen jumped, yelping with fright. He whirled around to face the laughing Atreyu, placing a hand on his heart. "Oh, Great Thra… There you are, Atreyu!"

"There, there, darling." Kira laughed. "Atreyu's been here the whole time. He just wanted to surprise you."

"Well, he certainly succeeded."

"Hey, Atreyu!" Bastian exclaimed, hurrying over to the taller boy.

"Hello, Bastian! I missed you." Atreyu replied, enthusiastically shaking Bastian's hand. Then, he glanced over at Sarah, who suddenly felt silly for just standing there. "Who's this?"

"That's Sarah. She goes to my school."

Atreyu approached Sarah curiously, but confidently. "Sarah, huh? That's a nice name. How old are you?"

"Fifteen. What about you?"

"I just turned fourteen." Atreyu said with a smile, shaking hands with Sarah.

Sarah smiled politely, but deep down she felt her heart sink. _So for the entirety of this trip, I'm going to be babysitting two boys who are younger than me? At their ages, they could be more trouble than even Toby! What have I gotten myself into?_


	4. Chapter Three

"And then, Jareth commented that he could _easily _out-party Kira. I knew as soon as I saw the look on Kira's face that things were about to get even crazier than they already were." Jen was telling everyone at the table. "What I witnessed that night was incredible. It was an all-out party-off between the All-Maudra and the Goblin King, and the Podlings and Goblins only added to it! They sang and danced and showed off like their lives depended on it! After that, I think I can safely say that our kingdoms went to war that night, and it was a war fought with song and dance."

"So, who won?" Sarah asked, intrigued.

"Well, I'm a little biased, right?" Jen said, blushing as he gave Kira a quick grin. "Besides, I was encouraged to take some drinks that night. Everything was a blur after that. I think I might have fallen asleep."

"He's a bit of a lightweight." Kira not-so-subtly explained to everyone.

"Kira!" Jen's blush deepened. Then, he gave a sheepish smile. "It is true, though."

Everyone laughed.

"Jareth's been waiting for a rematch for _months _now. Unfortunately, shortly after that competition, Kira became pregnant, so there hasn't been anything quite like it since."

"Oh, right, your baby!" Sarah craned her neck to get a closer look at the infant in Kira's arms. "How cute."

"Would you like to hold her?" Kira asked with a smile.

"Oh, may I?"

"Of course." Kira carefully handed the baby to Sarah. "Support her head, just like that. Oh, you're great with her!"

Sarah gazed down at the infant. She was tinier than Toby ever was. "Gelfling babies are so small…" she cooed.

The meal carried on as those at the table had various conversations. Jen explained the reason for his species's rarity, and told the story of how he and Kira met each other and defeated the Skeksis. It was a truly thrilling tale.

"_Fala vam._" Atreyu said cheerfully as he plucked some kind of pastry from a platter a Podling held out to him.

Jen smiled. "I'm glad you've caught on to the Podling language so well. You're already doing better than I did."

"Human children learn fast." Kira commented.

"How cool, Atreyu!" Bastian exclaimed. "You seem right at home here in Thra!"

Atreyu shrugged. "It's not too different from Fantasia."

"It's way different from the Labyrinth, that's for sure." Sarah said. _And right now, I'm glad of that. I only wish Hoggle, Ludo, and Didymus were here, too…_

* * *

After the meal, everyone headed off to bed. Jen and Kira had done away with most of the Skeksis's belongings after the Great Conjunction, but their old rooms still had beds. They just sort of left the rooms that way. "In case we find more Gelflings." Jen explained. "If we don't, we'll just use these rooms for any future children of Kira's and mine."

Sarah lay awake for a short while, even more worried about her friends than before. The castle was mostly silent, except for the soft notes of a flute accompanying the words of a lullaby. Sarah assumed Jen and Kira were trying to lull Syni to sleep. Those three were such a nice family, filled with so much love. Sarah hoped to start a family like that someday.

Eventually, the singing stopped. Despite the flurry of questions churning about in her head, sleep eventually came to Sarah. She dreamt of Hoggle, Ludo, and Didymus as her mind conjured up theories as to what could have happened to them. Some were logical, others not so much. Some upset her so that she was surprised she wasn't awoken by them, but rather scratching and whining at the door of the guest room the next morning.

"Hush, Fizzgig! Sarah may still be sleeping!" Jen hissed from outside the closed door. Some creature snarled back at him. "Oh, don't talk to me that way. Now, come on. I'll just wait for her in my study."

"No, no," Sarah said groggily, sitting up and yawning, "I'm up."

"Oh, Sarah! Good morning. I'm very sorry if Fizzgig woke you. I only came to see if you were already awake."

"Don't worry about it. Do you need me for something?" Sarah asked.

"Yes. I wanted to talk about your mission in more detail. But please, take your time. I'll be in my study waiting for you." Jen said before his footsteps faded away.

Once Sarah got out of bed, she made her way to Jen's study after getting directions from a passing Podling. Jen was sitting at his desk with Kira beside him, and Bastian and Atreyu sitting in front of them.

"Good morning, Sarah." Jen said with a smile. "Please, sit."

Sarah found a seat to Atreyu's right.

"Now, Bastian and Sarah, I wanted to go into more detail as to what we're up against." Jen said, getting straight to the point. "The sky here in Thra, and in many other surrounding lands, has gone dark. There's been no rain or sunlight, so our plant and small animal life has begun to die. Not only that, but I've recieved reports of a thick fog closing in on us. Once you get stuck in the fog, you can't see anything, not even your hand in front of your face." He held up his hand for emphasis. "Atreyu here compared it to the 'Nothing' from his world."

"The Nothing?" Sarah asked.

"It's what happens to our world when people try to let go of their dreams and imagination, and try to hide what makes them happy." Atreyu explained. "It's like a big storm, and it tore Fantasia to pieces! It was up to me to try to keep the world from being erased forever."

"That's a lot of pressure to put on a little kid."

"Hey!" Atreyu protested. "I wasn't a little kid! I was eleven then. But I wasn't all alone. I had my horse, Artax… for a while, that is. Everything was going okay, until we got to the Swamp of Sadness, a place that will swallow you up if you give into its sorrow. I made it through..." Atreyu's eyes darkened at the memory. "But Artax wasn't so lucky. He quickly succumbed to the swamp's despair and drowned before my eyes. After losing my best friend and only companion for the journey, I was forced to travel alone." He looked up briefly, arching an eyebrow at the numerous pairs of misty eyes staring at him. "B-But it's okay now. Artax was revived. And besides, I wasn't alone the whole time. Falcor came to help me!" he offered.

"But _still _!" Sarah exclaimed, her eyes glistening with emotion. "That poor horse… I didn't think an animal could _be _that sad…"

"And to feel alone on a long journey… I remember the feeling." Jen added.

"To think something so heartbreaking could happen in a place as romantic as a swamp…" Kira murmured.

There was a brief pause as everyone except Jen looked at Kira strangely.

"A swamp is romantic?" Bastian asked.

"Of course!"

"Kira and I first met in a swamp." Jen clarified. "That makes it romantic enough for me."

Sarah gave a small, amused smile at Jen and Kira's unorthodox ideas of a romantic getaway. Then, she turned her attention back to Atreyu, a bit surprised to see he was still looking at her. "So, how did you stop the Nothing?"

"I didn't." Atreyu said, shaking his head. "Bastian did."

Sarah blinked in surprise. Someone as shy and gentle as Bastian had saved a whole fictional world?

Bastian smiled sheepishly at the credit he was given. "Aw, it was nothing. I just had to believe in myself and give the Childlike Empress a new name."

"That's it?" Sarah asked. "Jen, Kira, do either of you need a new name?" she asked, half joking.

Jen and Kira both laughed.

"No, thank you. I quite like my name." Jen said. "And besides, the answer to this problem may not be so simple. After all, this is Thra, not Fantasia; although Fantasia, the Labyrinth, and the surrounding worlds have all been affected. This may be more serious than even the Nothing. That's why we wanted you three to find a solution. Children are more perceptive to our worlds than even we, who live in them."

"Well, that settles it for me." Bastian said, standing up. "When do you need us to leave?"

"As soon as possible. Look for any possible solutions, and report your findings back to us. Kira and I will periodically watch over you from the Crystal." Jen said, standing up as well. "I will lead you three out of Thra."

"Let me come with you." Kira implored, looking up at Jen.

"I'd rather you stay here, Darling. Your pains have been worse lately, and you need to focus the energy you still have on the baby, alright?" Jen said, placing his hands on her shoulders as she stood.

Kira sighed. "Alright. But you had better be careful, and stay away from those ugly goblins if you can."

"For sure." Jen said with a smile, leaning forward to kiss Kira and bending down to kiss Syni. "I'll be back soon, my dear."

Kira nodded before turning to the three teenagers. "Good luck, you three. Be sure to get along, alright?"

"Yes, ma'am." they said in unison.

With that, Jen led the trio to the base of the castle, where about half a dozen strange, long-legged creatures grazed. "These are our Landstriders. I'd lend you two one, but I don't think they're capable of carrying humans, even human children."

"That's alright, I brought Artax here with me. Come on, Artax! It's time to go." Atreyu's voice rose as he called for his horse. A beautiful white stallion came trotting up the hillside to meet his master. Atreyu turned to Jen. "I can walk for now, and the three of us can take turns."

"Are you sure? The way out of Thra is likely a two-day journey." Jen asked.

"I'll be fine for most of the way. The journey through Fantasia was way longer than that."

"Very well." Jen made a sound to call to one of the Landstriders, calling it over in an unfamiliar language. When it made its way over to Jen, the king hoisted himself onto the creature's back. "Shall we be off, then?"

After Sarah and Bastian climbed onto Artax, Atreyu nodded. "Let's go."


	5. Chapter Four

**To the person who asked if this story is abandoned: Hello. No, it's not abandoned, as you can see. Yes, it's been a few months since I've updated this story, but I just experienced some writer's block. Also, I've seen you before, trying to harass people into updating. A little word of advice: what you're doing is having the opposite effect. Constant pressure to update demotivates creators, and it's very inconsiderate. Try leaving nice reviews and encouraging authors instead. As for the others reading, please disregard this message! **

* * *

"This place looks depressing." Sarah murmured, looking around at the dark, gloomy sky and the tangle of dead plants around them.

"Awful, isn't it?" Jen said pensively. "At times it seems more dead than when the Skeksis ruled. After they were defeated everything was bright for four great years, but then this happened… It's as if life is teasing us."

"Don't give up, Jen!" Bastian piped up.

"Yeah, I promise we're going to fix this." Atreyu added.

Jen smiled at them. "I know you will. Thank you all."

The four made their way out of the forest and came to a precipice overlooking more land.

"I see it! The Ivory Tower!" Bastian exclaimed, pointing to the horizon, where a tall, bright tower stood in the distance.

Sarah's eyes widened in awe. "Wow, it's beautiful…"

"Isn't it?" Atreyu said proudly. "At the base of this cliff in where Fantasia starts."

"And beyond that border," Jen pointed to a wall covered in plants and vines, which surrounded a very familiar maze, "is the Labyrinth."

"So we've reached the edge of Thra." Bastian realized.

"Correct." Jen nodded. "And unfortunately this is as far as I can go. I must return to my castle."

"And to Kira and the baby." Sarah added with a grin.

"Yes." Jen smiled back. "Good luck, you three. I believe in all of you. Please, save these worlds while you still can. Goodbye."

"Goodbye, Jen. Thanks for your help." Atreyu said with a wave.

"My pleasure. Be safe, you three!" And with that, Jen turned the Landstrider around and rode away.

The three watched Jen until he disappeared into the forest. Then, they all looked at each other.

"I think we should go to the Ivory Tower. I still need to speak to the Empress." Atreyu said.

"I think so, too. What do you think, Sarah?" Bastian asked.

"Well…" Sarah looked back at the Labyrinth, frowning. Her heart ached for her friends. They were probably there… _No. _Sarah shook her head softly. _I miss them, but this isn't just about them. It's about this whole world. It's unfair, but it's the truth. _She looked back at the two boys, who were awaiting her response. "Okay. Let's go to the Tower."

"Thank you, Sarah." Atreyu smiled gratefully, and gave Sarah's shoulder a quick, comforting pat. "Jen told me about your friends that disappeared. Don't worry. I promise that I'll personally make sure they're found."

"That's a hefty promise." Sarah said, but couldn't hide her own smile that was forming.

"I've made plenty of those before." Atreyu said with a shrug.

"Thank you, then."

Bastian looked from Sarah to Atreyu, his eyes widening slightly as if he'd just figured something out. He smiled and shook his head. "Alright, you two. Sarah, it's your turn on Artax."

"When we get to the land of the Purple Buffalo, I'll take another horse." Atreyu said as Sarah climbed onto the white stallion. "Then we won't have to walk so much."

"Sounds good." Bastian replied.

As Sarah rode Artax, Bastian and Atreyu walked along on foot. Despite having the chance to rest her feet, Sarah honestly felt that this was probably one of her least favorite turns. When Bastian and Atreyu were on the ground together, they behaved like little kids. All they did was goof off! There was one instance where Bastian slipped and fell into the stream while they crossed. They both thought that was a riot.

Sarah guessed that since Bastian and Atreyu were best friends living in different worlds, when they were finally reunited they wanted to take every opportunity to horseplay. It was annoying… but kind of sweet.

Finally, the Tower came into view. It looked much taller up close. Sarah marveled at it as they entered the courtyard, where all kinds of bizarre creatures were gathered. They all turned when they heard the clip-clop of Artax's hooves, and many of them smiled when they recognized Atreyu and Bastian. A few came forward to ask them questions. Sarah suddenly felt very out of place.

All at once, a man with dark skin and a bony crest on his head stepped out into the courtyard, holding up his hand for silence. The room got quiet.

"Atreyu, Bastian." the man said, nodding to the boy. "The Empress will see you now."


End file.
